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A Series Of Their Own

Written By Bill Plummer

Having worked on 13 softball books in the past, I took some time before deciding to do another softball book. Actually, I took six months, and then decided to do another softball book. The topic? The Women's College World Series, which actually started in 1969 and not 1982 as some people had indicated. The year 1982 was when the NCAA took over the sponsorship of the event and of course since then the event has grown to become the premier college softball event in the U.S. The 2013 event was expected to top 80,000 fans, a record for attendance.

Telling the real story behind the Women's College World Series and helping the sport were the main reasons for doing the book. The book needed to be done because softball unfortunately doesn't have enough books about the history of the game and it makes sense to have a book about college softball and tell future players and coaches how the college game evolved and who were the people who were the pioneers of the sport. Before doing the book, I contacted Larry Floyd, who I had worked with during my career at ASA, and asked him if he wanted to co-author the book with me. He said yes and has done an outstanding book, not only helping to write, edit and design the book but designing and setting up our website: www.seriesoftheirown.com

Larry and I contacted Connie Claussen, who was involved with the first WCWS in Omaha in 1969, and she graciously gave us her personal files including clippings and pictures to start the project. Without her assistance, we would never have done the book. We did a lot of research on our own, but her files of information were invaluable in getting the book done on time, which was to have it in time for the 2013 College World Series. We met our deadline and had copies available on Tuesday the week of the College World Series, which started May 30. Throughout the tournament either Larry or I was in the ASA gift shop telling people about the book, handing out book marks and enjoying talking to people about the best event in college softball. We printed 3,000 copies of “A Series of Their Own. The History of the Women's College World Series,” and have developed a marketing plan to sell the books in the year ahead. We were fortunate to have the cover along with a story in Oklahoma City Preview, which was distributed to the local hotels and motels. In fact, two ladies from California read the story in Preview and came out to the Hall of fame gift shop and purchased two books. We thank the staff of Preview for their help in promoting the book and especially Darl DeVault.

We did the book in about five months and could have taken a year or more to get it done, but we wanted to have the book done in time for the 2013 WCWS. We felt it was important to have it done in time for this year's WCWs and there were times when we wished we had more time, considering we were doing three chapters a week, but we made the deadline and were pleased with the printing of the book by the Transcript Press of Norman, Okla. We dedicated the book to Claussen and Marita Hynes, former co-director of the WVCWS, who in fact was in town for the 2013 WCWS. She directed 19 WCWS and could just as easily give up when the going got tough, but she didn't and certainly played a major role in developing this event. But foremost, the book was dedicated to the women college athletes who before the late 1970s laced up worn-out athlete shoes, wore mismatched uniforms and competed on less than adequate fields, and to the selfless coaches who nurtured these young players. These athletes and coaches pursued their chosen sport with little or no funding to speak of, not like today's big softball budgets, and without the support and recognition given freely to their male counterparts. And they did it for the purest of reasons-the childlike love of their sport and the joyous excitement of athlete competition. And if you were on hand for the Florida vs. Michigan 16-inning game on June 1, which took five hours and 20 minutes to play, you got a perfect example of the joyous excitement and love these athletes have for simply playing a game they love to play. It doesn't get any better than that and that's the view from here.

Bill Plummer A graduate of Indiana University, Ind. Bill has been involved in softball for more than four decades. For 30years he was a fixture at the ASA National Office as a communications coordinator, manager of the ASA National Softball Hall of Fame and historian. In addition, he also served as the editor of the ASA official newsletter, The Inside Pitch, and as the Trade Show Manager. He has written widely about the sport and has contributed to 14 books. In 2009, he authored “The Game America Plays.” In 2012, he co-authored “Best of the Best-Women’s Fastpitch.” In 2014, ” A Series of Their Own. The History of the Women's College World Series.” He has been elected to five halls of fame, including the ASA National. In 1996, he served as the Information Manager for the debut of softball in the Olympics.

Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”

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